Shensheng Empress
Shensheng Empress (神生皇帝) Ilha was born and raised to be Empress of Zhi, after her father, Emperor Xiaoguang, and was finally granted that position in 2018, but was swiftly deposed by a radical far left faction that prompted an intervention from foreign entities. Ilha was kept in Kanadorika along with some advisers, who handled her educated and tended to her needs, by the time the regime in her homeland was destroyed and fractured, Ilhaad a new life, socialising with Kanadorikans and enjoying western culture, until her advisers convinced her of the pointlessness of her current lifestyle. She then dedicated the Imperial Estate to the creation of the Royalist Faction, seizing her birthplace of Shaotai, the surrounding towns and roads, as well as an army to maintain control and lead the reconquest of her birthright. Swiftly retaking the Shaotai Imperial Palace in Peikang, allowing her to form a coalition of parties that ended the conflict. She is now strictly a constitutional monarch, and elections were held in 2019, with the Conservative Loyalist Party winning. Her constitutional role is still powerful, but she spends much time in the City, learning and planning for the future. Names and Titles Names The Empress went by three personal names Ilha, a Weishun word for flower. Hua, a Zheng term for flower, seldom used. Israe, a Western name she chose, used a lot outside of Michu. Titles 神生皇帝 - Shensheng Emperor (Zheng, most commonly used) ᡤᡝᡥᡝᡥᠠᠨ ᠶᡳ - Gehehan Yi (Weishun) ᠲᠠᠶᠢᠪᠠᠨᠢ ᠨᠢᠭᠦᠯᠡᠰᠦᠯ ᠬᠠᠨ - Taivan Niguulsel Khatun (Yuan) Biography Early Life As the only child of Emperor Xiaoguang, Ilha was born on July 27th, 2000, and would have her education handled by private tutors, teaching her politics, statecraft, mathematics, and the sciences. She took a large interest in astronomy, and learned foreign languages by herself to engage with visitors to the Imperial court, often spending her time reading books about world history, provided by Kanadorikan diplomats. When she reached fourteen, she was well aware that her reign would start soon, spending her time studying and caring for her ailing father. She interacted negatively with the palace staff, besides her maids, and her brother. The rule of only eunuchs in the Shaotai Imperial Palace was enforced once again after an attempted assault on her. This left her extremely reclusive until she was forced to meet Gege Teggin, a Weishun girl, while much younger, was more social, and the two spent much time in the City together. Her Brother, Aisituro Yongsheng Ulanara, was resentful of her, due to the Succession Struggle. She never got a sense of independence, and was entirely reliant on her maids to do basic tasks, something Gege was perplexed over. Crown Princess of Zhi When Ilha was fourteen, she, along with the court and all officials, was bought before the Emperor Xiaoguang, and while kowtowing before him, was declared by the Emperor as officially the Crown Princess of Zhi, heir to the Celestial Throne. She would be the third female Monarch in Zhi's long history. His reasons for picking her over her many brothers is only rumoured at, and not questioned in the Shaotai Imperial Palace itself, that she was the most quiet and less scheming. A poor judge of character from the old Emperor. She was taken by the maids to her chamber, and was ordered to find a husband immediately, to continue the Zhi. A call was made to all the Banners present suitors to the Crown Princess of Zhi. Around this time, her brother, Aisituro, made a play for power by trying to poison Ilha. She responded by curing herself and thanking her brother for the poison. She bought a sample of the poison to Xiaoguang, and was accused of lying by her brother and her own head maid. Once proven by a bondservant that the poison was from Aisituro, the Emperor allowed Ilha to decide just to see how they'd treat the guilty party. She ordered the lying maid have her tongue cut out and her head shaved, a severe punishment to stop her lying and mutilate her relationships. Her brother was sentenced to death by forced suicide, and then removed from the Zhi geneology. She developed an intense interest in calligraphy, that started as a way to woo the aristocracy of Bannerlords and Zheng landowners to her side, over her ambitious brothers. At the court meeting of 2015, she wrote a collection of Sunrise Zhi Dynasty poems for all in court. She looked forward to these court meetings as if they were Christmas, and she enjoyed discussing philosophy, politics and geography with various court officials. They all had interests in making her happy anyway, and she would be far too naive to see their vested interests till her second reign. She was well aware that she is fully dependent on her maids, knowing it makes her seem much weaker, leading to underestimation. This was a miscalculation, as it made the target of much mockery and comparison with her predeccesor, who ironically couldn't do anything independently either. Imperial Coronation, First Reign, and the Coup Emperor Xiaoguang died in 2018, and Ilha was quickly sworn in as the Shensheng Empress, the third female monarch in Zhi's history. Her name was choosen by the Empress Dowager, with Ilha only approving the name selected. Her mother schemed constantly to hold down her brothers and allowed her daughter to rise to her position. The Jurists required her to endure the initialisation ceremony, which consisted dozens of archaic rituals. The one she remembered most of, was being locked in the Chamber of Sheer Determination, with temperatures as low as the arctic territories, in only her Nost Veil while meditating. The practice was a minor coronation rite, that would normally play little role in the ceremony, but Shensheng would say during her exile that it was the worst moment of her life. The Coronation masked a vicisous coup, however, far left revolutionaries were able to sieze power, and kept the Empress in the Shaotai Imperial Palace awaiting her show trial for "Treason". The Red Hooks Front were unsuccessful in executing her however, due to Imperial loyalists, who evacuated her to Northurland, where without her intensive network of maids, was forced be more independent, being described as "graduating from a toddler to a small child". Her remaining servants cleaned and kept her healthy, as she lost interest in much beyond self pity and local politics. When the Red Hooks state collapsed, a chance of restoration was opened up, so her tacticians and loyalists formulated a plan, activating her assets to form a corporation capable of retaking the mainland, the Royalist Faction. Restoration and Second Reign Using vast wealth, and Kanadorikan mercenaries, the Imperial forces were able to gain a beach head in Shaotai, fighting a desperate and costly campaign with PAF forces and Michise Republicans, to retake Peikang, the Shaotai Imperial Palace, and assert political control over the fragmented nation. The liberation went well, due to PAF forces being encircled by the Republicans, and the Republicans committing their forces against the PAF in Chunwing. With this victory, and the general pointlessness of the war, the Empress offered a grand coalition to the Nationalists, led by Shuko Tang, and the PAF, who were led by the Committee, with herself as monarch, but a representative democracy would be formed, with a constitution granting the people of the new state, Michu, more freedoms than any nation in the continent. All parties, besides the most radical, accepted, due to mounting anti war sentiment, and the desire to restore Imperial possessions to Michise governance. Ilha used her personal wealth, as well as the Company's resources to help in the reconstruction. Due to the Imperial tradition of no citizen being able to see the Monarch of Zhi, even after the war, most of the people she was helping didn't recognise her, compounded by the Nost Veil, she'd be anxious to visit Chunwing, due to PAF forces being stationed there, while she was there, she didn't display much emotion, and she was much more recognised there, her Veil, and her aloofness, gave her the name "The Ice Queen of Terror", compounded by the mercilessness and efficiency of the Imperial reconquest. When die hard PAF followers noticed her, or were alerted to her presence, they would watch her, track her movements until she left, which disturbed her heavily. The more neutral, or loyal population of Michu, would kowtow, continuing the Imperial tradition of her divinity, too good to be looked on by mortal eyes without express permission. Kowtowing has increased in use throughout the general population, it has since come into major use throughout sections of the political parties and youth organisations. Since the thrust of the reconstruction, Ilha has settled back into the Shaotai Imperial Palace, where she studies, meditates on the future, and weeps for the people who laid down their lives for her. She acts as a guarentor of liberties for the population, and her resilience since taking the throne back has kept a strong sense of stability and happiness among the population, even the PAF has gradually come to appreciate her presence, due to her desire to see lands that once belonged to Zhi restored. She authorised the reconquest of Miatu Province, and hosted the Congress of Peikang. Additionally, she approved of the use of an Imperial Edict to provide relief for the small nation of Ochea after a hurricane, causing the downfall of the Prime Minister Qino, and imminent new elections in December. Personal Life Ilha's personal life is shrouded in mystery to the general public, She is looking for a consort to produce an heir, so called the Banners to provide a husband to her once again, as it would be a grand shame if the Yongsheng Ulanara dynasty, ruling the nation for thousands of years, should become extinct. Many journalists thought she could understand English and Northurlandic, but she only spoke High Zheng in interviews and Weishun with her closest advisors. No one outside of her court sees her, and she wears disguises or a Nost Veil in public if she must venture outside of the Shaotai Imperial Palace. She likes to write poetry about her experiences in the privacy of her palace. Personality Those who know her, know her as a well meaning autocrat, a political schemer, an expert in manipulation and getting what she wants from people in the shadows or through puppets, but is extremely reluctant to do physical tasks herself. She is extremely weak and relies on her maids and eunuchs still, even after the restoration. Not to the same extent as before the coup, when maids would be required to even get her dressed, now she just struggles with cleaning, chores and such. She doesn't eat much, due to her brother's attempt to poison her food when she was seventeen, for which she had him executed the day after her coronation. This event has made her paranoid in many respects, leading to a huge distrust of almost everyone. She looks up to the Keisar of Kanadorika, especially after the coup, when she realised how power must be maintained and enforced. The first time the two met, Ilha was extremely shy around her, due to basic knowledge of her personality. That has changed now, however. Ilha is very sexually immature, not really expressing interest in it beyond the need for an heir. This is most likely due to her sheltered upbringing, and her innate sense of duty. She maintains a single friend outside of the palace, Amban Gege Teggin, the two bonded over months, through mutual interest in politics. She is a quiet narcissist, despite being excessively shy. She loves being pampered with praise or affection, a method visitors or advisers could use to get her to do political favours for them, but this no longer works, due to a combination of paranoia, and her working out that this tactic is effective, but sometimes it still has a noticeable effect, like blushing. She also loves when people salute her, or chant for her, enough to draw her out of the situation with bliss. She enjoys this sensation, and the head therapist ordered special incense to be installed in her meditation chamber, at an extremely high level, leading to her hallucinating, passing out and causing a high, in "visions from Heaven". This relaxes her, and makes her feel refreshed. This special incense is used by Michise security forces as a truth serum, generally making people more suggestible, and causing hallucinations. She is a person of contractions, cold, but also sensitive. Before rising to the throne Family Quotation from Ilha "My predecessor had more wives than I could count when I was young. I didn't recognise many of their faces or names. I only knew I had five brothers and a sister. And that they were the enemy. More than any foreigner or commoner. They thought the same of me and of each other. Mother, the former Empress Dowager, once took me for a walk to see the Spring flowers in the Shrine to the Eternal Rose, an area dedicated to remembering the Summer in the Roses Period. I heard my second Brother Cangsu screaming. I was only eight at the time, so I assumed he had fallen. Mother reassured me that he would be fine, before a eunuch, one of my slaves, approached us and told mother that "The job is done." I would later find out that Cangsu had tried to poison father, and so was put to death. Only after Aisituro died did I realise the target on my back. After that, I spent my time working with mother to secure our powerbase in the Court. I will never forget the hatred, fear and sadness on the faces of the people who would suffer in the Succession Struggle. During my time here Northurland I have seen many happy families. If the Yongsheng Ulanara Clan could ever achieve such tranquility and goodwill, then I am sure Heaven would have supported us in Octomber to the Revolution, and forever on." - Speaking to an interviewer in unusually open manner, in December 2018, the height of her mental instability. Father: Emperor Xiaoguang, Grandfather: Emperor Hifuzhou Grandmother: Concubine Rong, Giren Clan. Mother: Noble Consort Jiang, Guwalga Clan Opinion on Other World Leaders and Nations Like most Emperors of Zhi, Shensheng maintains a fairly standard view of the foreigners, prioritising Hezranan and Kanadorikan leaders. Her opinion is slightly influenced by memorandums that her ministers bring her about each nation and leader, as well as the views of her court/predecessors. Khaw Si Khaw Ilha sees Khaw Si Khaw as a vital front for her plans, due to their Weishun heritage, and strategic location between Treko, Kanadorika and Michu. Princess of Khaw Ilha believes that the monarchy of Khaw Si Khaw is in a similar posiiton to herself, chained to internal poliitcal manuevering, in her case, the celestial parliament, and in the Princess' Strasser. As such, as continued her father's pledge to marry her beloved brother Duanxia to the Princess. Strasser Ilha's public opinion of Strasser is that of a heroic revolutionary, leading her people into a new age. She maintains cordial diplomatic relations. Privately, Ilha wants Strasser dead most in Etharia. Ilha would be an ally of any serious counterrevolutionary opposition. Jindou Ilha approves of Jindou, though views their subservience to Kanadorika as curious. She supports increased economic collaboration, and has privately asked Duanxia to tell her of Jindou's forbidden city. Toa Landji Ilha does not know much about this nation, but is cautious of their latest revolution. Treko Though the standard view of Treko in Michu is disgust and revulsion, Ilha supports closer ties between the two nations. She joined in the efforts to formalise ties with the revived Trekkish government. The reconstruction of the Trekkish Embassy in Shaotai was confirmed earlier this year. Tsarina Annika Trurikovichva Ilha watches the ascention of the new Tsarina with interest, awaiting their moves on the diplomatic stage. Though she notes that the remaining interests in the rebuilding Treko seem to have fallen into line behind her without incident after the death of her brother. Ninhundland Ilha notes the Ninhundish state's ambitions with caution, their history of war is appreciated by most of the court, but the Shensheng Empress cares little for war. Kanadorika Ilha holds Kanadorika in higher esteem than most for taking her in during the revolution, though their annexation of Kuwang has intimiated the court into a more militaristic approach. Keisar Herja Ilha used to fear the Keisar during their first meeting on her coronation, but grew to appreciate her brutality and efficiency as she stayed in Kanadorika, even writing letters to her, praising her leadership. Upon returning to Michu, the two have not physically interacted, but Ilha has learned from the Keisar's example. She has instructed the Prosperity Security Division to find any information possible on the Keisar. Category:Leaders Category:Monarchs Category:Monarchs of Michu Category:Michu/Zhi Category:Emperors of Late Zhi